


Not Robin

by Mytiny_Sybarite



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics), Nightwing (Comics)
Genre: F/M, First Time, Gender or Sex Swap, M/M, Pseudo-Incest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-21
Updated: 2017-02-21
Packaged: 2018-09-26 02:54:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9858938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mytiny_Sybarite/pseuds/Mytiny_Sybarite
Summary: The one where Tim gets turned into a girl... and has to go and stay with Dick in Bludhaven while Bruce fixes it...





	

**Author's Note:**

> The rating will go up in later chapters - it will have underage stuff going on later, and it will have F/M and M/M but all Tim/Dick.

**Chapter One - Because he's Batman**

 

Why couldn't Bruce just have a conversation like a normal person? Because he's Batman, that's why. And if you know he's Batman, he no longer has to make small-talk with you. Or be polite in any way. So, the phone call had lasted all of four seconds:

_Come to the Manor. It's urgent._

And why couldn't he just _say_ what he wanted like a normal person!?

Because _he's Batman_. Right…

Dick stood on the doorstep waiting for Alfred and chewing his lip; it was a bad habit that Bruce called a tell. Dick said it was intentional because he _should_ have a tell and Nightwing _shouldn't,_ but really it was easier to remember not to do it with the mask on…

Bruce hadn't asked for Nightwing, and he'd phoned Dick's personal number, which Dick didn't even know Bruce _had_ \- but of course he did, because _he's Batman_. So Dick had changed into civvies, got on his bike and broken every speed limit over to Gotham, but he couldn't think of anything that Bruce could possibly need his help with that wasn't 'work' related… Not that he'd actually _ask_ if it was work related… and now he was worrying Bruce was expecting Nightwing.

Alfred opened the door, "Master Dick. They'll both be most relieved to see you."

"What's this about Alfred? It's making me nervous…"

"I can see that," Alfred raised an eyebrow and looked pointedly at Dick's mouth, where his lip was once again caught between his teeth, "follow me."

"To the cave?"

Alfred nodded and turned to lead the way; Dick followed, even though they both knew that he could find his own way there.

"Why? I mean… Bruce didn't ask for Nightwing…"

"Nor does he require him."

"Then why-?"

As they made their way downwards, Alfred spoke quietly, "I shouldn't be the one to tell you, but I doubt either of them will offer much explanation…" he sighed, "Batman and Robin were patrolling when they ran into some trouble and something _happened_ to Robin-"

"Is Tim ok? What happened!? Why didn't Bruce-"

"Master Dick, they would both tell you to control yourself. Master Timothy would also add that he isn't a child."

"Alfred, _is he ok_?"

"He's _unharmed_."

"But…?"

"Changed," Alfred said as they entered the cave.

Bruce was looking through a microscope; he hadn't shaved and he was in yesterday's clothes. Tim was sitting hunched over the computer terminal with his back to them… he didn't look any different from here… but he was curled in on himself wearing an oversized hoodie, and the back of the computer chair was hiding a lot from view…

The clicking of the computer keys was the only sound. Neither one looked up as he and Alfred entered; Dick was a little annoyed, but not in the least surprised.

"Master Dick is here," Alfred announced, despite the fact that he knew they'd already noticed.

Bruce glanced up, then scribbled something on a piece of paper, stared at it for a moment, added something else.

"No, by all means, take your time; it's not as though I rushed to get here…" Dick knew getting pissy with Bruce would achieve nothing, but he couldn't quite stop his nerves spilling over, "It's not as though you told me it was _urgent_ or anything…"

Bruce looked up. Dick stared, waiting for him to speak. He noticed that, while the keys had stopped clicking, Tim hadn't turned around. Dick wondered if he was horribly disfigured, like Two-Face or the Joker or if it was like Catwoman and his personality had changed more than his appearance…

"I need you to take Tim back to Bludhaven with you."

Dick stared at Bruce; he'd known that the explanation would be _brief_ , but that was so… _Bruce_. Give the order and explain _nothing_.

"You're not going to explain _at all_ , then?" Dick said.

Bruce raised his eyebrows at Dick, "We're hosting a charity event at the manor this week; there will be reporters. It would be best-"

"That's not what I meant, Bruce. I get that you can't have him here, but you haven't explained what happened, _why_ he's here in the first place; he has a _home_ with _parents_ in Gotham. Why isn't he there?"

"Because they're more accustomed to having a son than a daughter," the voice was female, but also Tim's. Dick stared at the figure hunched over the computer terminal…  he could almost feel Tim _not turning_ to look at him, _not_ meeting his stare, _hiding_ …

"Fuck," Dick said.

"Yeah," Tim breathed, his voice almost normal when he whispered.

" _Fuck_ ," Dick said again; he couldn't think of anything else _to_ say.

Tim snorted back a laugh, "Eloquent as ever…"

Dick strode across the room, stopping beside Tim, who turned minutely away from him, almost imperceptibly. Dick spun the computer chair so that Tim was facing him, but Tim wouldn't meet his eyes…. He was so hunched over, wearing such baggy clothes that it wasn't really as though you could actually _tell_ … but his face… Dick squatted in front of him and stared into his face… almost the same, but unmistakeably female…. delicate, but still _Tim_.

"You don't look _that_ different…" Dick breathed, reaching toward Tim's face. Tim's eyes flicked to him, sharp and intense. Dick had time to think _yeah, it's definitely still Tim_ before Tim moved, trying to overbalance him, or maybe just escape his touch - Tim normally did that. Anyone else would have fallen on their face, but Dick just twisted and flowed like water and ended up on his feet, still staring at Tim as though nothing had happened.

"Can't I just stay  in the cave? It's only a few days," Tim asked Bruce, ignoring Dick's gaze.

"It's a week. And no, you can't," Bruce said.

"Bruce Wayne keeping a sixteen year old girl hidden in his basemen would certainly make the headlines…" Dick said.

"If any of them got into the cave, the sixteen year old girl would barely even be a footnote in the 'Bruce Wayne is Batman' story," Tim deadpanned, "and you both know it."

"You can't stay here," Bruce said, and Dick noticed that he didn't actually look right at Tim. He kept looking around him or back at the notes on the table. If Dick had noticed in five minutes then there wasn't  a chance Tim had missed it. Bruce scrubbed a hand over his face, and if the situation were different Dick would have said something about that being a tell, but you just didn't go out of your way to piss Batman off when he was _already_ pissed off… unless you were Jason. Or the Joker. but Dick wasn't even going to start thinking about those two, or their effects on Bruce…

Bruce cleared his throat, "I can't be worrying about you when all this is happening. I need to know you're out of harm's way."

"I'm Robin! I don't need protecting-"                           

"You don't know your body; your strengths or weaknesses. Believe me, they _are_ different. Your balance is off, you're overemotional and you have no uniform anyway," Bruce peered through the microscope, added another note and continued in the same casual tone, "You aren't Robin right now."

Dick watched Tim's usual impassive mask fail and then looked away when he was almost sure Tim was going to cry. Or throw something at Bruce. Either way, Tim wouldn't want anyone to see him like this.

"I'm the same person! I'm still the person who figured out who you were, who put it all together-"

"And I trained _that person_ to be Robin," Bruce was still focused on his notes. Being that dismissive was only going to get one result…

…Tim flew at Bruce, his kick aimed at the back of Bruce's head.

"I am-" Tim's cry was cut short as Bruce moved quick and precise; he caught Tim's foot easily, pulled him off-balance, anticipated the counter, used Tim's own force against him and lifted him easily. A second, maybe two, and it was over. Tim writhed in Bruce's grip, unable to escape, but refusing to surrender. Dick _knew_ this outcome was Bruce's intention; to show Tim how vulnerable he was, but it was cruel nonetheless. _Kick him while he's down and all that…_

Tim eventually stilled in Bruce's grip, hanging in his arms like a broken doll. Dick wished they'd had this fight before he'd arrived, so he didn't have to pretend not to be watching… but they were both too stubborn to even discuss this sort of thing until absolutely necessary. And Tim couldn't pretend it had never happened if Dick had seen it too - Bruce knew that.

"Tim," Bruce spoke so quietly that Dick had to strain to hear… he couldn't even pretend he wasn't listening now, "you are just as intelligent, as determined as you have always been… but your body isn't your own. Any change, any injury, any new weapon requires an adjustment. You have to train with _this body_ if you want to take it into a fight."

Tim nodded and Bruce set her back on her feet.

_Her. Weird._

"Go and pack," Bruce said, "If you train with Dick and he thinks you're ready before I figure this all out, you can help."

Tim nodded and walked out not looking at any of them

"Alfred…?" Bruce said, scrubbing a hand over his face again.

"Yes, Master Bruce," Alfred nodded and followed Tim out of the cave without waiting for further direction.

Silence.

Bruce didn't even pretend to check his notes; he stared at where Tim had been.

"Bruce…? I hate to say this, but I can't have a sixteen year old girl living with me either. I'm a cop. And Bludhaven isn't exactly safe. Wouldn't Barbara or one of the girls be a better choice…?"

"He'd run away. He's still Robin inside, which is worse than if he weren't Robin at all… all the belief and none of the ability…" Bruce sighed again, "He's already angry at me for sending him away… the only way I can lessen the blow is for him to think he has a chance to earn his uniform back, and for it to be with you; I don't believe he will tolerate anyone else protecting or training him."

"Why _are_ you sending him away? He would be safe down here, and I know you won't let him back in this fight, even if he trains for a year and I say he's ready… You're lying to him and he knows it. That's why he's angry."

"If he stays here, he'll want to be involved in figuring this out-"

"Which is his right-"

"Which will get him killed. He isn't able and _you know_ I'm right. If I leave him alone down here, how long do you think it'll take before he's out there? I can't watch him all the time."

"Oh? Because I can…?! I'll just take a week off work, shall I?!"

"It might be an idea."

"Sarcasm, Bruce! I can't; there's a case, it's pretty big-"

"I'll take care of it."

"You have to take care of _this_!"

"It may surprise you to learn that as both Bruce Wayne and Batman, I have quite a few resources and connections I can call on."

"For fuck's sake, Bruce!" Dick signed, "Why me?! Why, of all things you could ask, do you want me to babysit the teenage girl wonder?!"

"Because if he stays here, it'll be Jason again or worse," Bruce ground out.

Dick stayed silent; Bruce never spoke about Jason, never even said his name if he could help it. Bruce moved back towards the table with his notes on and began to flip through some pages, and Dick wondered if that was it, then Bruce spoke again, without looking up, "I can't have him here, reminding me…"

"Fine," Dick said.

"It has to be you, Dick. We both trust you." Bruce smiled grimly, "It turns out we can send anyone out to fight crime, but only you can babysit Tim for a week."

Dick glared. Bruce was fucking right. As usual.

" _Fine!_ " he said again, and turned to go.

"Dick...?" Bruce said before he'd taken three steps, "Just remember… he _isn't_ really female and he _is_ only 15…"

Dick turned and gave a shocked bark of laughter, "Fuck you, Bruce!"

Bruce just folded his arms and raised an eyebrow.

"You're fucking serious?! So, you order me to take him home with me, even though I don't want to and then you accuse me of planning to molest him…?"

"When you love somebody and they're female things tend to progress in a certain fashion… and now Tim appears to fit the criteria. I'm just worried-"

"That I'll _rape_ my little brother…?! Seriously, how sick do you think I am?!" Dick spat.

"That's not what I'm worried about; I'm worried you'll both forget that, at some point, he _will_ change back."

Dick frowned, "We're done here!"

Bruce ignored him and looked through the microscope again.

Dick bit back further insults, spun on his heel and left the cave. He ground his teeth as he stomped back through the manor; somehow Bruce had had the last word without even speaking, and that was just fucking typical. 

He could have just been _honest_. He could have _trusted_ Tim and Dick. but he would never even have considered that.... _  
_

...Because he's Batman.


End file.
